Oliver Glasner will return to Selhurst Park this weekend for the first time since leaving the club following the conclusion of last season, and a remarkably successful spell in South London. 

Glasner’s time at the club was turbulent, with some incredibly questionable moments sprinkled within the good memories, and his move to Nottingham Forest has only added fuel to the fire of the Premier League’s newest ‘rivalry’. 

El Cas-ico, as it was dubbed after Palace were expelled from the Europa League due to multi-club ownership rules, has become one of the strangest tensions in the Premier League, and whilst most fans will now say that it means little more to them than any other game, there is certainly an element of bite and a deep desire to win for both sets of supporters. 

There were moments during the Austrian’s time at Selhurst Park where the situation became almost untenable, and it looked as good as guaranteed that he was to be sacked following Marc Guéhi’s transfer to Manchester City, and the public outburst that followed. 

Palace Chairman Steve Parish held his nerve, and stuck with Glasner, who went on to lead the club to European glory, winning the UEFA Conference League. 

This success followed the incredible achievement from the season before, when Glasner did what many Palace fans thought impossible, winning the club’s first ever trophy in its history, beating City in the FA Cup final after an incredible season. 

Glasner undeniably changed the trajectory of Crystal Palace as a football club, and will go down as the most successful manager in club history, with slim chance of that title being taken from him ever again. 

The moments of madness, poor runs of form and explosive press conferences left a bitter taste at times, but looking back on his time at the club, there can only be a sense of gratitude and admiration for the man. 

In an article from the Telegraph and John Percy, Oliver Glasner’s thoughts ahead of the game were revealed, and some of the quotes act as a truly fascinating insight into how he is feeling ahead of Sunday’s reunion. 

Forest chairman Evangelos Marinakis is not expected to attend the game, which means the focus is solely on Glasner. “I don’t want to be in the middle of stories about the game, but I know I will be”, Glasner told the Telegraph. 

“There are two hearts beating in my chest because we had two great years.”

“What I’d love is that the Palace fans look back at the emotions they had winning the finals at Wembley and Leipzig and how much joy they had. Palace fans will always support their club, but when they look back at the two years I was the manager we had some great moments together.”

In all honesty, questions surrounding Glasner’s reception when he returns on Sunday are somewhat baffling.

After what the Austrian achieved for the club, there can only be good feeling towards him, and whilst a small number of fans may express their disappointment with his decision to sign for Forest following the issues between the clubs, the vast majority will likely welcome him back with great love and admiration, as he deserves.